the cab with the girl and the nurse, when a keen-faced-looking man, who
had listened to all that had been said, came forward to tell the
policeman that if he did not interfere, his remissness, together with
his number, would be reported to Scotland Yard.

The policeman, stirred to action, stepped forward, at which the nurse
had sprung into the cab, to be driven away, when Miss Meakin had gone
into hysterics upon Mavis' shoulder.

Later, after she had come to herself in a chemist's shop, she had told
Mavis that she had left "Dawes'," and was now keeping house for an aunt
who was reduced to taking in paying guests somewhere in North
Kensington. She had been to Vincent Square to look up a late paying
guest of her aunt's, who had taken with her some of the household linen
by mistake. Upon her setting out for home, she had met with the uncanny
adventure from which Mavis' timely arrival had released her.

Directly Mavis reached home, she had written to Mr Devitt. Four days
passed, during which she heard nothing in reply. The suspense filled
her soul with a sickening dread. Work at Melkbridge now promised
alluring possibilities, qualities that had never presented themselves
to her mind in the days when she believed that a letter from her would
secure from Mr Devitt what she desired. To her surprised delight, the
fifth morning's post had brought her a letter from Mr Devitt, which
told her that, if she would start at once for Melkbridge, she could
earn a pound a week in the office of a boot manufactory, of which he
was managing director; the letter had also contained postal orders for
three pounds to pay the expenses of her moving from London to
Wiltshire. Mavis could hardly believe her eyes. She had already pawned
most of her trinkets, till now there alone remained her father's gifts,
from which she was exceedingly loath to part. The three pounds, in
relieving her of this necessity, was in the nature of a godsend.

Now she stood on the platform at Melkbridge. Her luggage had been put
out of the train, which had steamed away. Mavis thought that she would
ask the station-master if he knew of a suitable lodging. The man whom
she judged to be this person was, at present, engaged with the porters.
While she waited till he should be at liberty, her mind went back to
the time when she had last stood on the same platform. It had been on
the day when she had come down to Melkbridge fully confident of
securing work with the Devitt fa